So how is Summer treating you so far? Exams, deadlines? Or vacations and new destinations? Whatever you are doing I hope it is filled full with sunshine, picnics, BBQs and alfresco dining!

The beginning of July marked the six month anniversary of the Feastforfamine journey and as a little bonus recipe I shared Nan’s Jam Tart, a recipe I remember fondly from my childhood and now share with my daughter, it’s so easy but so tasty and full of memories for me!

I love summer cooking and food, but often find it difficult to think of desserts that compliment lighter eating, so during the warmer months when entertaining, I will always make at least one pavlova as it’s light but sweet and you can add any flavour combinations you like, I definitely think I have found a winning combo with the Inspired by New Zealand – Orange, Honey and Macadamia Nut Pavlova, and I would also love to have your favourite pavlova creations too, feel free to contact me here Contact, and I will have a go and making some of them before the summer is over.

Finally in July, we went to Myanmar for Pork and Mango Coconut Noodles (https://feastforfamine.blog/2019/07/29/inspired-by-myanmar-pork-and-mango-coconut-noodles/), you can use up any other left over meats you have from your Sunday Roast, but they have a saying in Myanmar ‘Of all the fruit the mango is the best, of all the meat, the pork is the best and of all the leaves lahpet is the best’, and I certainly agree with that for this recipe, the pork and mango really are the best combo…I hope you do too!

Remember all recipes are created for you not only to enjoy, but to also raise awareness of the struggles these countries face on a daily basis, so if you would like to make a donation to Save The Children who are working everyday to support children around the World, please visit my just giving page by clicking the link Just Giving for more information.

So this week, marks the six month anniversary of the Feastforfamine Journey, and I would like to say a big thank you to everyone that has supported me during this time…We have been to a lot of places together and at the end of this post is a complete list of all the recipes created so far and I’d love to have your feedback if you’ve managed to make any of them!

To mark the 6 months, I would like to share with you all, a recipe very close to my heart, it’s another one from my childhood, but this time one I used to watch my Nan make all the time, when I was little, and one that later, I helped her make…Nan’s Jam Tart.

Growing up not only did I have great neighbours, (remember the Inspired by the Philippines: Sticky Chicken Drumsticks with Vegetable Noodles), My grandparents also lived two doors down, so whenever I felt a bit peckish or fancied a natter, I would wander down to my Grandparents house and chat away with my Nan while she cooked, I remember not only how good this tasted but also how quickly my Nan put it all together, including making her own pastry!

This recipe I remember so fondly, and loved making this recently with my own daughter…I hope you enjoy it too, so here it is:

Remember these recipes are made not only for you to enjoy, but to also raise awareness about the struggles some of these countries face, so if you would like to make a donation in support of Save the Children and the amazing work they do, please visit my Just Giving page:

I really enjoyed making this dish, it is a recipe given to me by my lovely friend Liz, who grew up in South Africa, I asked her a while back to tell me more about the food there as I have yet to visit, (but it’s on my list!), and if there were any dishes that are sentimental to her.

Here is a lovely photo of Liz with her Dad back in South Africa and the Beef Curry here is something she remembers really fondly, Liz said that it always reminds her of home and growing up was a popular takeaway treat. As a child her Dad would drive her family to the local Qasba and eat this meal with fresh bananas to give it sweetness. Ancestrally from Portugal, Liz has now returned and lives on the Portuguese Island Madeira, she still makes this for her family and having recently made it for mine, I will be making it again. It’s so easy but so tasty, Liz said it works really well with Chicken too, and the only thing I have done differently in this recipe is rather than cook it on the hob, I finished it off in the oven so I could use a cheaper cut of beef, the apricot jam also works well too…who knew!

Peel and slice the onion and garlic, add to a lidded oven proof pan with 1 tbsp. of olive oil and gentle fry for a few minutes on a medium heat

Add the beef and cook until it starts to brown, add 100ml of water and turn the heat off while you make the paste

To make the paste, mix together all of the paste ingredients, adding a little water if too thick

Mix this in with your meat, add the chopped carrot and potatoes, pop the lid on and cook in the a preheated oven for 1 hour

After 1 hour, add 100ml of water and cook for another hour

After another hour, check if it needs a little more water and add if necessary and cook for another 30 – 45 mins until the meat is really tender

Serve with cooked rice and slices of fresh banana, (for the rice, you can follow pack instructions, or what I do is cook 1 part rice to two parts water, bring the rice to the boil and then simmer lid on for 10mins until all the water is absorbed, do not be tempted to take the lid off until it has finished it’s simmering time!)

Enjoy!

In South Africa, 50,000 children a year, under the age of five die from treatable and preventable disease, many children live in poverty in homes without access to sanitation, poorly educated and victims of abuse and neglect. Save The Children are working closely with 140 Children’s Committees across South Africa to address these issues and are also working with government to make sure healthcare is accessible to children through school. To find out more please visit:

So how was the month of May? Weather a bit warmer, perhaps warm enough for your first BBQ or Al Fresco dining experience?

For FeastforFamine, May was a simple month with easy, straight forward recipes making the most of basic ingredients like eggs, starting with a visit to England for Egg and Bacon Oven Baked Muffins, great for a brunch, breakfast on the go, or as part of a picnic.

Remember all recipes are created for you not only to enjoy, but to also raise awareness of the struggles these countries face on a daily basis, so if you would like to make a donation to Save The Children who are working everyday to support children around the World, please visit my just giving page by clicking the link Just Giving for more information.

Growing up I was so lucky to live next door to a wonderful family, who came over from the Philippines in the 70s. I have such fond memories of playing with their daughter Marianne when I was little, but most of all I remember their generosity, as more often than not they would knock on our door with steaming plates of noodles, chicken and other delicious foods! I have kept in touch with the family ever since, who still live next door to my childhood home. I have been in touch with them recently and Marianne and her father Tony have shared with me one of their noodle recipes and a really tasty, but simple marinade that they used on the chicken.

I made this recipe recently for my own family and it felt so good to share this delicious dish and the happy memories attached to it, I hope you enjoy it too!

First make your chicken marinade, thinly slice your garlic clove and mix together with the ketchup and soy sauce

Coat your drumsticks in the mixture and leave in the fridge for at least 30mins or overnight

Preheat your oven to 210F, place your chicken in the middle of the oven and cook for 35 – 45 mins turning half way through and checking that your chicken is cooked before serving, (use a knife close to the bone to make sure all the juices are clear)

While your chicken is cooking prepare your noodles

Thinly slice your onion and garlic and set aside

Thinly shred the cabbage and dice all the other vegetables

In a wok or deep saucepan heat the oil and gently cook the onion and garlic for 5 mins

To this now add the chicken stock made with 100ml of water and the soy sauce, mix and add the rest of your veg to the pan, give it a good stir

Now add your dried noodles and 720ml of boiling water

Bring to a high simmer and leave your noodles to absorb all the water for 6 – 8 minutes stirring occasionally ( I have never cooked noodles like this before and was a bit nervous, but it worked a treat and it meant that they soaked up ALL of the flavours).

Serve the steaming noodles with your cooked chicken and enjoy…I know I did!

Save The Children have been working in the Philippines since 1981, but more recently have been helping to rebuild communities after the devastating Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. Sadly just two years later the Philippines were struck again, in 2015 by Koppu, displacing 700,000 people. Save The Children are now working hard to help these families rebuild their lives and prepare for future emergencies. If you would like to find out more please visit:

March, marked the eighth year of the war in Syria, millions are now living as refugees, resorting to eating leaves and animal feed to survive. Thousands of children have been killed and many of those surviving are separated from their families and are living with severe injuries as a result of this brutal conflict. Save The Children are working tirelessly to help those still in Syria, to find out more please visit the link:

So where will April take us? Come back next week to find out…and in the meantime I would love to have your feedback on the recipes created by Feastforfamine so far, and please feel free to share your recipes too!

Place your jacket potatoes in the oven and cook your potatoes for up to 1.5 hours depending on size. (I normally pierce with a fork, wrap in tin foil and add a little olive oil and a sprinkling of salt for a really tasty skin…)

30mins before your potatoes are ready, pop the tomato dish in and cook along with the potatoes for the remaining 30mins

To Serve, cut your potatoes in half, spoon over the tomato mixture, including all the juices, crumble over the feta and the black olives, adding salt and pepper to taste, a squeeze of lemon and…

Dig in!

2015 saw Greece become the main point of entry for over 1 million refugees and migrants. Border closure between Greece and Macedonia has now left thousands of people stranded, including 2,000 children who are waiting for legal asylum before they can leave. Living conditions are very poor in the refugee camps and children are at risks of exploration as many families are turning to smugglers to get outside of the camps. To find out what Save The Children are doing children in these camps, please visit:http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/where-we-work/europe/greece